HARD WORK
The only way we get better

RESILIENCE
We always bounce back

DEDICATION
We set high standards and dedicate time and effort to reach them

POSITIVITY
This is how we thrive

COMMUNICATION
We use our voice and our body language equally.

ACCOUNTABILITY
We acknowledge our mistakes and learn from them

CREATIVITY
We challenge ourselves to think outside the box

ATTENTION TO DETAILS
From little things, big things grow

RESPECT
We respect ourselves, our coaches, our teammates, our opposition and the referees

INCLUSION
We welcome everyone and treat them as our equal

HEALTHY BODY/MIND
Our two most important pieces of equipment: we look after them

NOT JUST BASKETBALL
We apply all of the above to life outside of basketball.

The Hoop School is a skills development academy designed for junior players aged 5 to 18 year olds who show a strong inclination towards basketball and who are eager to learn, develop and implement several often-overlooked aspects of the game (eg footwork, decision-making, passing, conditioning, defence and more).

Every Hoop School program follows a clear progression chart relevant to the age and abilities of its participants.

The Hoop School will:

• help committed players learn and develop fundamental basketball techniques and skills (e.g. how to shoot, pass and dribble better)
• correct and adjust bad habits (ie how to unlearn in order to learn better)
• develop basketball IQ (ie – how to make better and faster decisions)

• introduce basketball-specific conditioning (eg how to run faster, jump higher, increase physical strength)
• increase awareness of early functional movement (ie how to move more efficiently on the basketball court)
• put a strong emphasis on defensive concepts (ie effective man to man defence, rebounding, team defence)
• teach how to work as a team (ie where to go on the court, what to do when not in possession of the ball, spacing, how to communicate efficiently, etc),
• encourage and teach effort and resilience (ie not being afraid of making mistakes, not quitting or giving up, getting up if we fall, etc)
• help create basketball communities by bringing together players from different origins, gender and schools.
• emphasise that the skills acquired during basketball practice are transferable to life off-court: school, family life, interaction with peers, etc

The Hoop School will not:

• provide a child-minding program. Every student should attend only because he or she genuinely enjoys basketball and is keen to learn and improve.
• tolerate any display of verbal or physical violence between students or towards coaches.

The Hoop School is inspired by the “Ecoles de Basket”, club-based junior basketball academies at the core of early fundamental basketball skills acquisition in France, Spain and other European junior basketball powerhouses.
The “Ecoles de basket”, also known as “MiniBasket” take a pedagogic, school-like approach to the teaching of basketball to help players aged 5 to 10 year olds:

• understand the need for skills development
• respect coaches, teammates, opponents
• play within a frame of established rules
• develop self-confidence and resilience
• increase their awareness and management of space and time
• learn about the importance of teamwork
• measure their own progress and performance
• compete at the best of their abilities in a nurturing environment
• develop a taste for a healthy, active lifestyle
• grow a strong, lasting interest for basketball